Now excuse me if I'm mistaken, but I thought things like earphones and earbuds where for PERSONAL listening, not sharing with those around you. I don't want to hear YOUR "music" any more than I want to hear your cell phone conversations.

So what's the deal with this? Are the white earbuds that come with the chinese made ipods just typical low-quality chinese made CRAP buds? Or does the ipod user have the damn thing turned up too loud? Probably both.

Are any of the hearing aid manufacturers public companies? If so, invest in them now! There's gonna be a run on hearing aids in a few years, when all these "ipod idiots" are suffering from permanent hearing loss.

BTW- "Ipod idiot" is what I heard some old fool call some young fool on the train one day... then the old fool added "when was the last time you read a book that didn't have any pictures?". Good one, Goyle.